Rural-mail-box latch



Dec. 15, 1925- Original Filed March 24. 1924 A. J. GREEN RURAL MAIL BOX LATCH 2 Sheets-Shed 1 /Z 5 o h 1 J 1 /7 ,2

L (IL Dec. 15,1925. 1.565.561

' A. J. GREEN RURAL MAIL BOX LATCH Original Filed March 24 92 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnwntoz v7. J free/7 a specification.

Patented Dec. 15, 19 2s.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICELA;

ANDREW J. GREEN, OF JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA. I

RURAL-MAIL-Box LATCH.

Application filed March 24, 1924, Serial No. 701,553. Renewed October 29, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Stutsman and State of North Dakota, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Rural- Mail-Box Latches, of which the following is This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rural mail boxes and has for its principal object to provide means whereby the door associated with the mail box may be locked so as to prevent the access to the mail box by any unauthorized person.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a mail box of the above mentioned character, wherein means is associated with the swinging door for holding the same in an open position whenever de-' construction, inexpensive, strong and durable,'and further well adapted for the poses for which it is. designated) Other objects-and advantages ofthis'invention will become apparent during the pur- ' course of the following description.

' In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a front end elevation ofmy mail box with the door in a closed position and locked, e c

Figure 2 is a similar View showingthe door in an open position, Figure 3 is atop plan view thereof partly in section,

Figure 1 is a sectional View taken on line il- 1 of'Figure 3, looking'inthe direction of the arrow, and j" 'Figure 5' is a fragmentary detail view showing the lever operating meansin an inoperative position.

In the drawings'wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the referredemparticular kind of material to be used. The front end of the mail boxis provided with the door opening 2 and a suitable flange 3 extends inwardly around the edges of the door opening in the manner as'clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings; Hingedly mounted on the front end of the mail box and. adapted to fit in the door opening 2 is the door 4. The interior of the mail box 1 may be provided with a partition or shelf such as is shown at 5 whereby 'the'same will accommodate both letters and packages or the like in the manner well known in the art. The mail box maybe further supported in any suitable manner and in the present instance I have'shown the same as-being supported on the top of a post A. by means of the metallic straps 6 and 7, respectively, the respective ends of which are bent up into engagement with the front andrear ends of the mailbox and'the' intermediate portions of which extend on the bottom of the mail box and are secured'to vthe sides of the post A in any suitable manner.

ment with the door opening 2 so' thatfthe inner portion 8 of the'door will fit within the flange 3 of the door opening by means of the coil spring The arm,10"of"the coil spring 9 is secured to the inner portion 8 of the door 4L in the manner as' clearly shown invFigure 2 of thedrawings while the opposite end of the coil springmay be secured to the inside of'the mail receptacle in any suitable manner. For the purpose Normally the door 4 is held in engageof holding the door 4: in an open position whereby access may be had to the interior of the mail box 1, I provide the door 4 with an elongated rod11 which is pivotally secured to the inner portion 8 thereof in the manner as shown at 12 in the drawings with 14 secured in 'any'suitabl'e mannerkto" the bottom of the mail box andwhenthe'parts are arranged as shown in" Figure 2 of the drawings, thenut 13 will engage the bracket 14: and prevent the door 4 from bei'n'g closed by means of the'coil spring .9. 7

When it is desired to close the door 4, the rod ll is released from engagement with the bracket 14 and to this end 'Iprovidethe lever'15whichis pivoted adjacent its outer .coilspring 9 will automatically return the door4' to its closed position whereby the inner portion 8 of the door will fit in the door opening 2.

For the purpose of locking the door t whereby access to the interior of the mail box by unauthorized persons is prevented, I. provide a pair of coacting levers such as are shown at 19 and 20, respectively, in Figure 4 of the drawings. The levers are pi-votally supported intermediate their ends on the pins 21 and 22 wvliicli extend inwardly from the front end wall of the mail box adjacent the door opening 2. The inner opposed ends of the levers 19 and 20 are arranged in overlapping relation and are provided with the curved outer faces 23 and 2et respectively, for the purpose to be presently described. The outer ends of the levers 19 and 20, respectively, are pivotally secured to the outer ends of the sliding bolts 25' and 26, respectively, the inner ends of which are adapted to extend through suitable openings 27 and 28 respectively, provided in the side flange 3 extending around the opening 2 and are adapted to further extend into the recesses 29 and 30, respectively, provided in the outer edge of the inner portion 8 of the door 1, inthe manner as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4t of the drawings. Normally the bolts 25 and 26 are held in. a retracted position out of en gagement with the recesses 29 and 30 provided in the door, by means of the co l springs 31 and 32 which are respectively secured to the upper portions of the levers 19 and 20, respectively, at one end and to the side wall of the mail box 1 at their opposite ends in the manner as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The actuating means for the levers whereby the bolts 25 and 26 will be moved into locked engagement with the door comprises the hasp 33 which is hingedly secured to the mail box 1 in the manner as shown at 3:4. The intermediate portion of the hasp 33 carries the pin 35 which tapers at its outer end as shown at 36. The hasp 33 is swung on its pivot 34 so that the pin 35 will have its tapered portion 36 extending through the opening 37 provided in the front end Wall of the mail box 1 and will engage the inner curved faces 23 and 24 of the overlapping inner opposed ends of the levers 19 and 20 and by moving the hasp inwardly, the tapered head 36 on the pin will move the inner opposed ends of the levers outwardly consequently causing the inward movement of the bolts 25 and 26 carried on the outer ends of the levers so that the same will extend through the openings 27 and 28 and will be received in the recesses 29 and 30 provided in the inner portion of the door t. 7

For the purpose of preventing the hasp from being disengaged from its'innermost position whereby the pin 35 holds the levers 19 and 20 in inoperative position, I provide the door 4; with a keeper 3? which is adapted to extend through the slot 38 provided in the outer end of the hasp and a suitable pad lock or the like such as is shown at 39 will pass through the keeper after the slot 38 has been placed thereover so that any unauthorized person will be prevented from releasing the bolts 25 and 26 from locked engagement with the door in order to obtain access to the interior of the mail box. hen it is desired to open the door, the pad-lock 39 is removed from the keeper 37 and the hasp 33 is then swung outwardly so thatthe pin 35 which extends through the opening 38 and is in engagement with the inner opposed ends of the lever will be moved out of engagement therewith and the coil springs 31 and 32 which are under tension will then cause the bolt to be retracted and moved out of engagement with the door so that the latter may be readily opened.

The cover i0 of the mail box 1 has its edges extending over the sides and ends of the mail box so as to prevent rainfrom coming in contact with the interior of the box. the mail box is provided with a suitable opening of openings in one of the side walls thereof whereby letters may be deposited in the box for collection either by the mail carrier or the person using the mail box.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a rural mail box has been provided wherein access to the same by any unauthorized person will be prevented and furthermore means is associated with the door of the mail box for holding the same in an open position while the contents thereof is being removed. The simplicity in which my mail box is constructed enables the same to be manufacturedat a very low cost and furthermore, will be strongand' without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

It is to be therefore understood that Having thus described my invention, what I claim is p r 1. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle, a door hingedly supported thereon and adapted to co-operate with a door opening provided therefor in the receptacle, locking means for said door comprising a pair of levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends in said receptacle, the inner opposed ends of said levers being arranged in overlapping relation and being curved in opposite directions, the outer ends of said levers having bolts extending outwardly therefrom for engagement with recesses provided in the door, resilient means associated with the outer portions of said levers for normally holding the bolts out of engagement with the recesses in the door, and means for moving said bolt into locked engagement with the recesses in the door.

2. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle, a door hingedly supported thereon and adapted to co-operate with a door opening provided therefor in the receptacle, locking means for said door comprising a pair of levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends in said receptacle, the inner opposed ends of said levers being arranged in overlapping relation and being curved in opposite directions, the outer ends of said levers having bolts extending outwardly therefrom for engagement with recesses provided in the door, resilient means associated with the outer portions of said levers for normally holding the bolt out of engagement with the recesses in the door, means for moving said bolt into locked engagement with the recesses in the door, said means comprising a platehinged-V ly secured at one end to said receptacle, a pin having its outer end tapered and extending downwardly from the intermediate portion of said plate through an opening in the receptacle and adapted to engage the curved faces of the inner opposed ends, of said lever and adapted to move the same receptacle having a door opening provided therein, a door hingedly mounted on the receptacle and adapted to normally close said opening, locking means for said door comprising a pair of levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends in said receptacle, the inner opposed ends thereof being arranged in overlapping relation and provided with oppositely curved faces, the outer ends of said levers'being pivotally connected to the outer ends of apair of slidable bolts adapted to extendthrough openings provided in the receptacle adjacent said door opening, the outer ends of said bolt being adapted to extend into recesses provided in the side edge of said door,

coil springs associated with the outer portions of said levers and said receptacle for normally holding the bolt in a retracted position, means for actuating said levers whereby said bolts are moved into locked engagement with the door comprising a plate hingedly secured at one end to said receptacle, a pin having a tapered head carried by said plate and adapted to extend through an opening provided in the receptacle and engaging the curved faces of said levers, said pin adapted to move the inner opposed ends of said levers outwardly simultaneously moving the slidable bolts-forwardly into locked engagement with the door,

and fastening means for said plate comprismg a keeper mounted on said" door and adapted to extend through a slot provided in theouter free end of said plate, and a fastening element extending through said keeper.

In testimony whereof I affix my-signature.

ANDREW J. GREEN. r 

